Bangladesh v Australia, 1st Test, Day 4 – 5 Talking Points

The Bangladesh team kept true to their words and pulled off an incredible victory in the first Test against Australia at home. The Tigers reigned supreme over the Kangaroos in a match dominated by the bowlers which will be cherished by fans all over the country. All-rounder Shakib Hasan and opening batsman Tamim Iqbal was outstanding for the men in green and red throughout the 4 days.

The Australians struggled to deal with the turning track of the Sher-E-Bangla Stadium and the Bangladeshi spinners capitalized on the opportunity. There were many doubts about the fact that whether Steve Smith and his troops will be able to cope up with the Tigers spin attack and it turned out to be a bit too good for the visitors. Chasing a target of 265 runs in the final innings, the Australians were bundled out to a score of 244 which was 20 runs short of the target.

Taijul Islam picked up Josh Hazlewood to wrap up the proceedings which brought broad smiles on the faces of Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hasan Papon and the Prime Minister of the country Sheikh Hasina who were present in the stands. Here are 5 talking points of the 4th day of the Test match:

1. David Warner’s hundred

Day 4 started brightly for Australia as vice captain David Warner completed a magnificent hundred under pressure. With the century of the left handed genius and Steve Smith well rooted at the other end, things looked pretty comfortable for Australia. Warner’s gutsy knock of 112 runs off 135 balls brought up his 19th Test century and his first against Bangladesh.

Warner, who managed to score just 8 runs in the first inning dispatched 16 boundaries in the second and also a maximum. Warner ended the first day’s play unbeaten with a score of 75. He dealt with the Bangladeshi bowling pretty nicely at the start of the second day which took him past the hundred run mark putting Australia in firm control of the proceedings.

2. Smith and Warner’s dismissal

The skipper combined with the vice captain brilliantly in the Australian second innings as the Kangaroos looked on their way to a victory in the second Test. With David Warner cruising past the 100 run mark and Steven Smith nicely set at the crease, the match was slowly moving away from the grasp of the Bangladeshis. After a brilliant 130 run partnership, Shakib Al Hasan finally separated the duo as he caught David Warner leg before wicket as the Australian scoreboard read 158 for 3.

The end of Warner’s 112 runs innings shook the Aussie batting line up once again and Steven Smith was quick to follow. Shakib picked up his second wicket of the day when he picked up the Aussie skipper for a score of 37. The double strike from the ace spinner shifted the odds back in the favour of the hosts and there was no looking back from there. The Bangladeshis kept on picking wickets at regular intervals from there which saw the Australians get bundled out 20 runs short of their target.

3. Shakib Al Hasan’s match winning performance 

Shakib Al Hasan was undoubtedly the hero of the moment for Bangladesh as they picked up their maiden Test win versus Australia. Hasan who is the leading all rounder in all three formats of the game completely justified his rank as he fought like a warrior with both the bat and the ball. Hasan played a stellar 84 run knock in the first innings facing 133 deliveries which was a perfect example of maturity and character.

He also picked up a total of 10 wickets in the match (5 in each innings) weaving magic with his spin. The Australians had no answer to the genius of the left arm spinner as they succumbed to a score of 244. The bowler picked up the second 10-wicket haul of his career which included the absolutely crucial wickets of David Warner and Steven Smith in the second innings.

4. Nathan Lyon’s brilliant performance in vain:

Nathan Lyon was Australia’s best bowler in the match as he grabbed 9 wickets to his name. Picking up 3 wickets in the first inning, Lyon doubled his performance in the second by picking up 6 wickets in the second. He was instrumental on the 3rd day’s play and played a massive role in restricting the Bangladeshis to a total of 221 in the second inning.

Lyon bowled almost 33 overs in the second innings and gave away just 82 runs in the process. His brilliant economy rate of 2.38 gives us a hint of his brilliant performance which was not enough to earn Australia a victory. He also bowled 10 maiden overs on his way to the 6 wickets.

5. Historic win for Bangladesh

The Bangladeshis did the impossible at the Sher-E-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka as they earned their first Test victory against Australia on the 4th day’s play. It was an extraordinary effort from the Tigers with Shakib Al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal leading from the front. The Bangladeshis made good use of the turning track and exploited Australia’s weakness of playing spin bowling.

After Test victories against England and Sri Lanka last year they now add another feather to their Test records by beating the Australians. The victory clearly portrays the improvement of Bangladeshi cricket over the years as they continue their outstanding form at home.